Daily dispatches on the Washington, DC area's food, restaurant and dining scene.

Kitchen Favorites: Firefly's Daniel Bortnick

By Sara Levine

New Firefly chef--and honey mustard fanatic--Daniel Bortnick.

Three weeks ago, Daniel Bortnick took over from John Wabeck as executive chef of Firefly in Dupont Circle. The 30-year-old Rockville native most recently cooked at Poste in Penn Quarter and Mendocino Grille in Georgetown, but he’s spent time in kitchens all over the place—from San Francisco to New Orleans to Peru.

Bortnick’s first cooking job was at a small cafe while he was at the University of Wisconsin: “It was just burgers, chicken sandwiches, and french fries, but that’s when I realized, this is what I want to do.” After graduating, he headed off for culinary school, and now he’s running his own kitchen for the first time at Firefly. About half of his new menu has been unveiled (Old Bay crab dip with crusty bread; half smokes with kraut; Oysters Rockefeller with herb butter), and the full transformation should be complete by April 18. We caught up with him for a few minutes to learn about his passion for cookies and the hearty hangover-cure breakfast he swears by.

All-time favorite meal: The French Laundry--I don't think it will ever get better than that. That was the epitome, the first time I went there. I went back once, and the food was just as good, but the first time was so mind-blowing. 

Favorite dish from childhood: We used to have a very regular schedule: bring in pizza every Wednesday, every Friday was Shabbat dinner. Once a week was spaghetti and meat sauce, and I liked that because I got to make the meat sauce. I tried to make it better every week.

Favorite junk food: Cookies. Chocolate chip or peanut butter. My wife won’t let me bring them in the house anymore, because I eat them all.

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sara....i don't know if you know this about me or not,but meatballs are are favorite food....ever! wally and i need to come to D.C. so we can check this place out! also, we still want you do a food story on the jazz-fest;maybe next year....that would be so much fun! wally wants to be the one who gets to sample everything! miss and love you,candy

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